Big seventh inning leads to 5-0 Angels win over Mariners

KEY MOMENT: Howie Kendrick singled to right-center field with one out in the seventh inning, and David Freese followed with a soft single to right. Mariners right fielder Chris Denorfia pulled up at the last second, and the ball bounced past him and to the wall, allowing Kendrick to score for a 1-0 Angels lead. The Angels went on to score four more runs in the inning.

AT THE PLATE: It was still a 1-0 game when Seattle pulled starter James Paxton in the seventh, but C.J. Cron greeted Mariners reliever Danny Farquhar with a three-run homer into the rock pile in left-center, his 11th of the season, to make it 4-0. Collin Cowgill walked and scored on Kole Calhoun’s double to right to make it 5-0. Mike Trout struck out four times in a game for the third time in his career. The most valuable player candidate is now tied with suspended Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis for the American League lead with 173 strikeouts.

ON THE MOUND: Angels setup man Joe Smith replaced starter C.J. Wilson to start the eighth and struck out two of three batters. Closer Huston Street retired the side in order with a strikeout in the ninth. Paxton, the rookie left-hander, mixed a 95-mph fastball with a sharp slider and cut-fastball to allow three earned runs and four hits in 62/3 innings, striking out eight and walking one.

BABY STEPS: Matt Shoemaker said he felt better Wednesday than he did Tuesday, but it’s far too early to gauge how the right-hander is recovering from a mild left oblique strain, a rib-cage injury he suffered Monday. “It’s encouraging … but there are a lot of hurdles Matt has to clear before he pitches again,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’re not going to have that answer in 24 or 48 hours.”

EXTRA BASES: Pro scouting director Hal Morris was informed Wednesday that he did not make the next round of interviews for the Arizona general manager job. … St. Albert the Great School in Compton will hold an 11 a.m. ceremony Thursday to name its remodeled gym after Dr. Lewis Yocum, the long-time Angels team physician and renowned orthopedic surgeon who died of liver cancer at age 65 in May of 2013.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Jered Weaver (17-8, 3.50 ERA) will oppose Seattle right-hander Felix Hernandez (14-5, 2.14 ERA) at Angel Stadium on Thursday at 7 p.m. PDT. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830 AM.